


As the Flower Wilts

by CrescentViolett



Category: Fire Emblem Heroes, Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Afterlife, Body Horror, Character Death, Crushing, Death, Fire, Gen, Hegemon Edelgard von Hresvelg, Mentioned Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, Mentioned Dorothea Arnault, Psychological Torture, Psychological Trauma, Stabbing, Unidentified Creature
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-08-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:15:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25695652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrescentViolett/pseuds/CrescentViolett
Summary: As the last moments of the battle approach, Edelgard cannot help but use the Crest orb from the Sword of the Creator to activate her own Crest of Flames. But as she feels herself transforming she's thrown into another world, a world where her friends are still alive... or are they?
Comments: 5
Kudos: 11
Collections: Calamity's Advent





	As the Flower Wilts

**Author's Note:**

> I made this for Invincible Zine: Calamity's Advant, check out all the other amazing creators in the zine here:  
> https://twitter.com/InvincibleZine/status/1290290668787695616  
> This was an amazing horror zine with pieces that will give you the creeps! So please be warned (tho if you're here you must likely like some horror goodness)

"You have one chance... Emperor." Their voice lingered with distaste at the title, like a sour flavour swirled in their mouth every time they said it.

Edelgard cared not, she let them think what they wanted as long as they fulfilled their jobs. The Emperor had been sceptical about hiring Those Who Slither in the Dark, but had been given no other option as Fort Merceus was now under enemy control.

She turned around, towards the box that was provided by them. It was quite beautiful, she had to admit, the carvings in the wood showed rather peculiar patterns; ones she recognised as trademarks of Those Who Slither in the Dark.

Opening the lid - kept shut by a tiny lock with a hook - she saw what they had brought her. It was a stone, a plain looking red stone, but on closer inspection it was engraved with the Crest of Flames.

Sounds of clashing steel came closer than ever before, and her hand hovered above the red orb. With a deep breath and loud sigh she picked it up, the lines immediately glowing bright orange, almost rivalling the sun as it was setting.

An invisible force pulled her back, forcing her eyes to close as she felt the world falling apart around her. Floating - or rather falling - inside an endless void, with nothing but blackness surrounding her as she opened her eyes again. It started to become more dense, pressing her on either side of her body so she could hardly breath - as if she was being squished down an invisible tube.

The pressure faded away, a light under her feet growing and spreading over the ground. It felt solid again, and gravity finally made its way into this world. As the white started to touch the sky of black she looked downwards to see plants growing around her like the light had done before; tall and thin, small and big, all kinds of plants started to bloom from under her feet, as if she was the one giving them life.

It sped up, the entire world surrounded by plants of every origin before she could even blink. Figures were walking away from her in the distance, most of their forms barely recognisable.

But some stayed close by, as if they were waiting for someone else to join the group. One of them turned around, their red dress and waving brown hair recognisable anywhere.

"Dorothea?" Edelgard's voice was hesitant, the word nothing more than a gentle breeze coming from her mouth. This couldn't be, the last she had seen from Dorothea was only moments ago when-

"E-Edie?" She sounded surprised, too surprised for Edelgard's liking. "Why are you here?"

"Dorothea, you're not-" Her voice was filled with happiness, the sight of her friend even making her smile through the weird feeling she had while talking to Dorothea.

"I'm not there anymore, Edie," she interjected, shaking her head, "You saw me go down by his spear. Don't make this harder on yourself."

"I… I don't understand, Dorothea, I-I'm not dead." Her voice quivered, fear spreading around her like a wildfire - the emotion so heavy she saw flowers wilt around her.

"It's okay." She tried to comfort the Emperor, walking up to her and taking her hands in her own. "We weren't strong enough for your world, Edie. But don't weep for us, we will meet again… someday."

With that she let go and turned around, walking up to the figures of both Petra and Hubert; the three of them had been the only ones left of her class.

"I'll see you soon, Dorothea."

The image of her friends started to become blurry before she felt hot tears falling down her cheeks. She shook her head. Dorothea had been clear: no crying over them until she could join them.

But even so she couldn't help herself from falling on her knees and shedding tears in the pain of her loss. The soft grass wrapped up in her hands and sweet smell of nectar was something she hadn't experienced in a long time. And despite knowing this world wasn't real - that she still had a duty to fulfil for her fallen loved ones - it calmed her down. Her tears slowed down as her breathing became even again. For a moment everything was at peace.

A dull pain in her hand had started to grow ever since Dorothea had left, now becoming unbearable as flames erupted from it - it burned the surrounded flowers, jumping to others and spreading like a disease set loose upon this temporary world. She stood up again, looking down at her hand to see the orb burning with the Crest of Flames. It shook her for a moment, reeled her back to the present as she looked around the throne room.

Dimitri and his army were now at her door, lead by the Professor. They moved swiftly through the corridor, getting almost dangerously close before the other world pulled her back in.

There was nothing there.

No flowers, no flames, only smouldering ashes that rubbed her boots and fell from the sky into her delicate hands… and a chilling breath against her neck.

She turned around, every hair standing on edge as she looked up at a massive being. As black as coal, with fingers as swords, taller than the biggest wyvern and teeth as sharp as her own dagger. It's breath became hotter, thicker with every outtake as it bended down, trying to crush Edelgard with its thin spindly arms.

The Emperor held her hands above her head, taking blow after blow as it kept crashing down on her. She felt her skin rip open, the muscles in her legs fuming with energy as it tried to keep the body from collapsing.

She smiled through the pain; she had felt this before, long ago, pain that was nothing compared to these feeble attempts to end her life.

Almost letting out a chuckle she spoke to the beast. "This… this is nothing like the pain I've already endured."

The beast was furious, she could almost feel its rage flowing through her body like water breaking through a dam; fast, lethal, and with no going back.

It screamed towards her, the noise of a thousand souls entering her ears within seconds - shattering her eardrums and causing them to bleed. It never stopped, the ringing in her head had taking the form of those same screams, the cries of the soldiers that had died for her and wanted her to succeed.

A sharp pain went through her leg, flames rising from the ashes as the being tried to slash its way through her. She couldn't move, the fire licking at her limbs and melting her armour into her flesh as they grew higher.

Smoke filled her lungs, burning them alive as the ashes and pain started to stiffen her body. The being looked down, she could sense it thinking she was pathetic, weak even. With a high head she looked up, daring the beast to finish it.

It pulled its arm away before sending it back to her, fingers aiming directly at her chest as the blades entered, finding its way through her delicate organs to her back, where it ripped open the skin as it pulled her up. Blood dripped from her boots like rain from a single tree in a heavy storm, her punctured lungs making the same sound as the wind would howl on those nights.

She grabbed its arms, using what little energy she had left to try and push them away. But she knew it was a feeble attempt, the being mocking her by staring directly into her eyes and giving the same smile she had given it before.

"Well then… finish it."

She had enough, if this beast wanted to take her away that badly, then she couldn't care any less about her goals. She had suffered enough, had made others suffer as much as she had, and if this being wanted to take away everything she had worked for then so be it. No one would care in the afterlife.

The shadow of the other hand fell over her, hovering for a bit before going down slowly. It grabbed her head, yanking it from side to side as pressure filled behind her eyes. A scream filled with terror left her mouth, muffled by the palm that was crushing her to pieces.

Not soon after everything became black, darkness surrounding her once again. The pounding inside her head lessened to a point she could open her eyes again, the bright red banners of her throne room an unwelcome sight. Fire had spread inside the building, engulfing everything in its flames.

Even if the fires were right beside her she could not feel them, instead a frigid cold had stiffened her entire body to point she could barely move. Raising up her right hand she could feel the bones cracking inside, making popping noises as each joint came into position.

Her hand was black, long fingers with sharp pure white nails dancing around as she moved them slowly. Particles were flying away from it, like snowflakes gently falling from the sky, or ashes from forest fires drifting off to new lands. Her body felt heavier, and she looked down to see her dress had turned black, and an almost spider-like body had taken place of her own.

She tried to take in a large breath, but realised she couldn't as her lungs refused to move; she wasn't gasping for air, but still couldn't take anything in either.

It made her panic, letting her body rise up more - cracking and popping bones every second - to reach her full height. She shook her head trying to focus, her perspective changed completely as she had risen at least 2 meters.

Then, she saw them - the army that was on her doorstep kept creeping closer as she tried to take control of this body.

A faint voice snuck up on her, setting her on edge and calming her down at the same time.

"You have one chance, Emperor. I'll kill them if you don't."

* * *

Rains drops fell on her blistered skin, soothing her sorrows as she took in the world she had seen before the battle. Fresh flowers were growing from the ashes already, the rain pulling it into the ground to fertilise new life. Something which she had hoped to do after the war.

But alas, she knew why she was here now. This world was just as frigid as the last, but at least it was quiet. The clashing of swords and spears no longer entered her ears, her wounds could finally heal now.

Up ahead were her classmates, that had patiently waited for her to come to them. A smile played on her lips as she came closer to them, their soft hands filling her with warmth as they took her in, closing her eyes to let the feeling sink in.

Once she opened them again the face of Dimitri looked at her, concern dripping all over it as his hands held the Emperor tightly. She raised a hand to his face, wiping away a single tear as she heard her classmates join her into her last words, their voices soft and caring.

"You came back…"

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you liked my take on Edelgard's transformation into Hegemon :3  
> I'll be posting another horror piece soon, so if you want updates on that you can check my twitter on @CrescentViolett


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